The perfect grind for your espresso

Section

Drop element here!

The basis for a perfect espresso

The degree of grinding is a decisive factor in coffee preparation

Key factor: degree of grinding

The grind is one of the key factors for successful coffeepreparation. The coffee taste is significantly influenced by the wrong grind. Our guide will show you how to set the optimum grind. The choice of grind depends primarily on the preparation method. Basically, the finer the grind, the shorter the contact time with the water.
If the grind is too fine, the coffee will quickly become bitter and strong. If the grind is too coarse, the coffee tastes rather sour and watery.

The optimal extraction

During the brewing process, hot water dissolves the ingredients from the coffee; this process is called extraction. A maximum of 30% of the ingredients can be extracted from a coffee bean. However, 30% is not the goal, because then the coffee already tastes bitter and too strong. The optimum range is between 18-22%. This range is based on studies by American researchers who determined these values in the 1960s through surveys and tests. In this range, the optimum amount of ingredients is released and the coffee achieves a great balance of aromas and intensity.
An espresso scale can be used to adjust the preparation even more precisely.

Espresso preparation with a portafilter machine

How is over- or under-extraction recognized?

If the grind is incorrect, the coffee cannot be optimally extracted, but will be over- or under-extracted. This can completely destroy the taste of a good coffee or make it seem boring.

In the case of over-extraction (extraction of more than 22% of the ingredients), too many unwanted bitter substances and tannins are released from the coffee, which overlay the subtle nuances. As a result, the coffee becomes very dark and tastes unpleasantly bitter and far too intense. This happens, for example, if a fine grind has too long a contact time with water.

Under-extraction (extraction of less than 18% of the ingredients), on the other hand, results in a very thin, flat and underdeveloped coffee, as too few ingredients have been extracted. Such a coffee is very light in color and lacks body in terms of taste.

back to the lexicon